Isle flu outbreak
worst in years
Students and workers are out of
By Lori Tighe
action with fevers of 103 or higher
Star-BulletinHawaii is suffering from the worst flu outbreak in recent years, knocking many students and employees out of action for one to two weeks with fevers of 103 degrees and higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently placed Hawaii among 22 states suffering the widest outbreaks of flu.
"We usually don't see so many young adults and children with such high fevers. I saw one 16-year-old with a 105.9 fever," said Dr. Marian Melish, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children.
"This is influenza, the real deal. It's a highly infectious, serious, nasty virus, with a short incubation period," Melish said.
Symptoms come on instantly, with people remembering almost to the minute when they got it, she said.
It lays people out for four to 15 days, with respiratory problems lingering for months.
The symptoms include high fever of 103 and above, head and body aches, chills, runny nose, sore throat, occasional vomiting and diarrhea. Although bad, they resemble influenza strains seen in previous years, Melish said.
"This strain, however, is becoming widespread," the physician said.
Although Hawaii has seen more flu this season, state epidemiologist Paul Effler doesn't consider it a pandemic.
"Every year the strain drifts. If a virus becomes more skillful at infecting people, more people will get it."
The state has 65 confirmed cases of Influenza Type A flu, said Patrick Johnston of the Health Department.
"However, we've had far more than that sick with the flu," he said. "We've seen it in the public schools, and lately we've had a lot of reports coming from private physicians around the state. Some doctors say they're extremely busy."
The specific influenza strain in Hawaii is uncertain. It could be either the Sydney, or the Wuhan, Johnston said. The CDC in Atlanta will analyze flu samples to determine the strain's identity within three weeks.
Hawaii's position as a crossroads could contribute to the widespread outbreak, Melish said. Although most flu strains arise in the Far East, the Health Department believes the flu virus arrived from California.
"Hawaii usually gives an early warning to the mainland of what flu strain is coming. It serves as a sentinel," Melish said.
The Health Department, the University of Hawaii and the CDC may establish a surveillance system to monitor imports of new strains and to watch for the bird flu, which could be devastating, Melish said.
The CDC said 44 states, the District of Columbia and New York City reported regional or widespread flu activity during the week ending Jan. 24, the latest period for which figures were available.
The CDC said flu activity was widespread in Hawaii and 21 other states -- Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The CDC attributed 9.1 percent of deaths in the 122 cities to pneumonia and influenza, which was above the epidemic threshold of 7.4 percent.
It said flu is associated with 20,000 deaths nationwide during an average season.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Don't delay, go to a
By Lori Tighe
doctor right away
Star-BulletinIf you have the flu, don't be a martyr and rough it out -- go to a doctor. "There is a treatment," said Dr. Marian Melish, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children.
The flu here, Influenza Type A, happens to be one of the rare viruses with a specific therapy, Melish said.
Called amantidine, or rimantidine, the prescription drug can cut sick time in half, according to studies. The treatment can be given to most patients more than 1 year old with few side effects, Melish said.
People sick with the flu should stay home and avoid infecting their schoolmates or co-workers, said the state Health Department.
The airborne virus spreads through minute droplets from infected people coughing or sneezing.
"Remember to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough," said Health Department spokesman Patrick Johnston.
It's always better to try to prevent the flu than deal with it, Melish said.
To prevent it, doctors advise people to frequently wash their hands, avoid touching their faces, and avoid sharing telephones.
The virus can survive on the skin for several hours and on hard surfaces for more than 24 hours, Melish said.
It's not too late to get a flu shot, although the state now has a shortage of the vaccine "because we're in the thick of the flu season," Johnston said.
"People should call their doctor and ask," he said.
"It's a good idea for everybody, but especially for high-risk people, including people 65 and older, and people with immune deficiencies."
